Neighbors
by FlirtyFlapper
Summary: Hermione can't stand her loud neighbors. But somehow she gets stuck there and boy, is her neighbor charming! Non-Magical AU.
1. Chapter 1

Just a little something I was thinking about. Non-wizarding AU. I'm excited about the direction this will take!

Read. Rate. Review. Be jolly and enjoy cold coffee and greasy hashbrowns.

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Hermione didn't know if it was the lack of sleep or her general frazzled state but she was going ten seconds away from knocking on her neighbor's door and telling him to get stuffed. It was nearly two in the morning and she was trying to study for her test tomorrow. She didn't know how much longer she could take the pounding music or the ridiculously loud laughter coming through her wall. She couldn't focus at all. She had tried drowning it out with her own music but headphones just weren't doing the trick.

With a great huff, she pushed herself off the floor. She pulled on her dressing gown and tied it begrudgingly. She shouldn't have to do this at all. Sure, it was a Saturday but anyone with half a brain knew that most of the tenants in the building were university students. She had class tomorrow and there was no way she was going to ace that test if her neighbor wanted to have a party. She opened her door with a huff. She stopped in her tracks. Outside her door was a familiar mess of black hair being mauled by someone who looked vaguely like Draco

"Harry?" She asked in a particularly smug voice.

He pulled away with a gasp and looked at her. She received a chilling glare from his partner, clearly upset about his meal being interrupted. She smiled sweetly. He rolled his eyes. Harry was blushing but he didn't look ashamed at all. And why should he be? It was no secret to her that her friend fancied the blond. Draco was all that he ever talked about. Granted, it was rarely something nice. He was always complaining about the things Malfoy did or said or how he looked. Hermione noticed it a few months ago. No one notices that much about someone unless they liked them.

"'Mione."

"What are you doing in front of my apartment?" She gave a sly smirk

"I'm just... that is..."

"We're a bit busy, Granger. He'll report tomorrow." Draco said rather rudely before eyeing her feet. "Nice slippers."

She rolled her eyes. She liked her crumple horned snorkack slippers. They were a present from Luna. Hermione had no idea what a crumple horned snorkack was but they appeared to be purple and have a nose similar to a rhinoceros but a bit twisted and bumpy. It was a dopey looking animal but Luna had made them and they were extremely comfortable.

"Nice hickey. I'm sure your father will love that." She gave a small smiled before walking over to the apartment next to hers. She passed more people making out in the hall. She saw a few other residents and groaned. She was going to get hate mail for weeks. She popped her head into the room. She didn't feel right coming in uninvited though she doubted all these people had been personally invited.

She stopped a particularly drunk girl who was giggling to herself. "Excuse me. Could you point the host out?"

A manicured hand holding a red solo cup filled with something toxic sloshed as she tried to point to a group sitting on a couch in the most primary shade of blue she had ever seen. In fact, the whole apartment was colorful. She didn't doubt that the owner was as well.

She eyed the floor past the door way and figured if she was ever going to get back to her review then she needed to enter. She padded over to the group who was laughing and chatting loudly. She groaned. They were all completely foxed and she doubted it was going to quiet down anytime soon. Still, she had to try.

"Excuse me." She said politely. No reply.

"Excuse me!" She said in a voice that sounded much too like Professor McGonagall, who she favored as a teacher. The group quieted. She flushed a little because they were all looking at her and suddenly she was very aware of how messy her hair was and the fact that her robe had rubber ducks on it. She hoped her face didn't have ink smudges on it.

"Yes, Duckie?" Came the sweet reply from a long limbed ginger with hair that hadn't seen scissors in quite some time. Rugged and charming with killer blue eyes. She had no doubt that he was trouble and was grateful she would never see him again or his twin sitting next to him. Though his twin seemed a little less dangerous. Maybe it was the fact that his hair was actually brushed and he didn't look like he'd just had a roll in the sack.

"Which one of you is the host?" She asked quickly. She wanted to go home.

"That would be us." Said the cleaner twin.

She wanted to scream. It would be them. They looked inclined to let the party go on until everyone passed out.

"I'd hate to be a party pooper,"

"I bet." interrupted the twin with the roguish charm.

"But I'm trying to study and you're music is quite loud. It's very distracting."

"Can't do anything about it, Love. Speakers are on the skitz." _He_ said with a shrug of his broad shoulders.

"Then unplug the damn stereo. I have a test tomorrow. I'm not failing because you want to get inebriated in a sea of strangers." She growled. She probably looked a bit like a lion right now and it was far from flattering but she couldn't fail and this... this _man_ was being inconsiderate!

"I'm afraid it's been super glued into the socket." the cleaner twin said sweetly.

She glared at him. She was practically shaking. This was not how she saw this going. She expected them to at least say they'd try to keep it down even though they didn't mean it. She pressed a hand to her forehead. She was exhausted. She had an early class tomorrow and a test and work and she hadn't had a proper meal in days. She didn't have the energy to sit here and argue with a set of partiers, even if she found them more than a little appealing.

"Fine. Play your stupid music as loud as you want. I hope you have a hangover from hell tomorrow." She mumbled as she left. She shuffled past girls in tight skirts and men soaked in cologne. She stepped over someone who had passed out in the hall. She tried to open her door to find that it was locked. She jostled the knob. This was not happening. This was not happening to her tonight.

"Open the door!" She shouted.

"Go away!" Was that Malfoy? Why was he in her...oh god!

"Malfoy, you cockroach! You can't commandeer someone's apartment to get off!" She banged on the door. She just wanted to go to sleep.

She huffed back over to the party zone. She walked back to the twins. She bumped into a crying girl on the way and eyed the twins. They weren't going anywhere and this girl was a mess. She assumed their layout was like hers and led the poor thing to the bathroom. She shooed a couple out and cleaned the girl up. She told her to call someone to come and get her and not to worry about her cheating boyfriend at the moment. When Hermione went back to the blue couch she found it mostly empty, save the twins and a very sleepy looking girl who was curled into the clean one's side.

"The prodigal daughter returns!" _He_ bellowed.

"I need to borrow the phone."

"Whatever for, Duckie?"

She glowered at him. "I've been locked out of my apartment."

"However did that happen? You don't seem irresponsible enough for that to occur." He said with a chuckle.

"My best friend decided it seemed like a good place for a drunken affair." She said with a sigh.

There was a passing glance between the twins.

"Poor Duckie. You sit next to ol' Fred and you can borrow his phone." He said as he took a phone from his pocket.

She eyed the spot next to him. The couch seemed clean enough but he didn't.

"I don't bite. Unless you want me to." He gave a playful chomp to the air. She fought a grin. He was cute.

She sat next to him, not touching but close enough to feel the heat rolling off his body. He handed her his phone. She dialed the first number that came to mind. She pressed the phone to her ear and waited. There was a groggy hello.

"Ginny? I didn't mean to wake you." She bit her lip. Maybe not the best person to call. Ginny had practice half past 5. "I shouldn't have called"

"I'm up. What's wrong?"

"I got locked out of my apartment."

"Do you want me to come pick the lock?" She was serious.

"No, I don't need my lock picked. I don't think I want to be in there at the moment."

"What happened?" Ginny asked sounding much more interested.

"Harry is in there... with a friend."

"Oh!"

"I don't suppose I could stay at yours?"

"...sure." The silence was telling.

"You have someone over? Oh god! Ginny, tell me these things!"

"It's fine. I'll kick him out, 'Mione. It's not a big deal."

"No. Don't do that. I'll call your brother. He's closer anyway." She said her goodbyes after assuring Ginny details.

She turned to the twins. They were putting straws up the nose of the girl who had fallen asleep on the clean looking twin. They were laughing and having a good time. She caught the eye of Fred, at least that's what she thought his name was.

"I'm sorry. I have to make one more call."

"Take your time." He gave a brilliant smile that had her wanting to kiss him. She went back to her task.

The phone rang through. That was unusual. Ron always answered. She had once called him at 4 in the morning for an emergency coffee run because she was dying and he had showed up 15 minutes later with a latte and scones. He was surprisingly reliable that way. She called again. She tried a third time.

"Damn it, Ronald!" She bit out. She handed him his phone back before leaning into the fabric of the sofa. It was lush.

"Trouble, Duckie?" He asked from beside her, his attention no longer on the sleeping girl who looked a bit like a plastic walrus now.

"No. Yes. I don't know." She sighed. She tipped her head back to rest it on the back of the sofa. She closed her eyes. "Ginny's apartment is at full capacity and Ronald is...who knows. Harry has taken over my apartment and even if he is gone by now I'm not sure I want to be in there at the moment. I don't have the energy to change the sheets and who knows where else they've done it. I can't clean my apartment at 3 in the morning." She said softly as she rubbed her neck. "Back to the love pad I suppose."

She stood and tried to walk towards the door but the horn on her slipper got caught on a cord. She was now in a very warm, very muscular lap of one charming ginger twin. She looked up at him with wide brown eyes. Her cheeks were burning. He had a mischievous smile on his face.

"If you want me to hold you, you need only ask. No need to fall over yourself."

She struggled to get out of his lap. It was much harder than she expected. Her limbs wouldn't listen to her. She placed a hand on his chest and lost her breath for a moment. She hadn't expected so much muscle. He looked lean under her shirt but what she felt was solid. She stood up and thanked them again. She slid pass girls in tight skirts and boys who were drowning in cologne.

She stepped over a man in the hall hugging a bottle of liquor. She knocked on her door again. No reply. She jostled the knob. Nothing. She sighed and pressed her back to the door. She closed her eyes and thought about her test tomorrow. She was going to fail. She was going to fail and lower her average all because she couldn't handle a little noise on a Saturday night and her friend wanted to get some. She leaned her head against the trim and allowed herself a small moment of drowsiness. She felt the hair on the back of her neck prickle. She opened her eyes.

Standing across from her, leaning against the wall in the casual manner that suited him all too well, was the messy one. He eyed her for a minute. His blue eyes were cool and warm all at once and it made her a bit self-conscious. He extended a hand to her. She eyed it; long fingers, clean nails, long nail beds, a bit calloused.

"Come on, Duckie. The back bedroom is empty. You can stay at our place."

She was too tired to think it over. Her eyes burned and her lids were heavy. She placed a small hand in his and he led her to the apartment. The party was dying down. There were a few drifters lingering in the kitchen and a few people laying on the floor but it had quieted down. How long had she been locked out?

She peeked into the bathroom to check on the crying girl from earlier. She was pleased she wasn't there any more. He opened the door and led her into the back room. It was full of deep blues. There were papers everywhere and a pile of clothes on the floor. The dresser had clothes hanging from the drawers and she thought she saw a rubber chicken somewhere but she couldn't be sure because she was half asleep.

She sat on the bed. It was soft. At the moment she could sleep on a rock. She knew it wasn't a good idea to sleep in a stranger's home but she felt safer in here than in the hall.

"You know where the bathroom is. The party is dying down but quite frankly from the look of you, you'll be asleep before you notice." He said with a chuckle.

She took off her robe and kicked off her slippers. She felt his eyes on her. She shrugged mentally. She knew her pajamas weren't appealing. She had stolen a pair of Harry's green boxers and she had never returned the ratty gray t-shirt that Ron had lent her. She laid down and relaxed. The bed smelled lovely; spicy with a hint of citrus and lingering masculinity.

"Smells nice." She mumbled sleepily.

"I'll take that as a compliment." He said as he walked towards the door.

"Yer welcome." She said as she snuggled into the pillow.

"Sleep tight, Duckie."

"Mhmm." The light was switched off and the door clicked shut. She let the darkness wash over her. She was asleep within minutes.

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Chapter One done! How will Hermione feel in the morning when she wakes up in a stranger's home?

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think in the reviews!


	2. Chapter 2

It seems like this story is getting good reviews so here's another chapter. Hopefully my internet won't cut out while I'm working on it and delete everything (which has been happening a lot!)

Read. Rate. Review. Be jolly and enjoy ddr tunage and hot apple cider!

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Hermione was feeling more relaxed than she had in days. At first. Then it hit her that she had slept in a stranger's home. There was a moment of pure panic. This was not like her at all. She sighed. The bed was comfortable though and it smelled amazing. She knew that she couldn't stay much longer though or she would be late for class, something that had never happened. She stretched almost lazily. Swinging her legs out of the bed she stuffed her feet into her slippers to avoid the hell that was cold tile floors. She padded to the bathroom to relieve herself and caught a glimpse of the carnage. There were people sleeping on the floor in what she imagined was one massive hangover. There cups littering the apartment and she had a great desire to start tidying but it wasn't her place. And quite frankly, it served them right to have to clean up this mess after the ruckus they caused last night.

She headed towards the kitchen after using her finger and a bit of toothpaste to freshen up. She walked in in hopes of finding coffee and found instead a very shirtless, very fit, very attractive ginger making pancakes. Who cooks shirtless? That's just reckless. He greeted her with a smile and a chipper good morning. She could not speak. She merely blushed and struggled to look away from his chest. He was very well built, not that she had much to compare to. Ron and Harry were not unfit but they merely kept trim and seemed to be rather slight. He was far from bulging, she didn't think it possible at his height, but his broad shoulders were impressively sturdy looking and his chest appeared much broader than she had first thought. She would not look further to access his abdominal muscles or the thin trail of red hair below his navel that led down to a pair of dark jeans.

She didn't want to think about her own appearance because she had caught a glimpse in the mirror. Her mane was looking more like a lion's that usual and she was suddenly very conscious about the exposed skin of her legs. She was tempted to try to flatten her hair or tug her shirt down a bit but what good would it do at this point?

"This is the part where you say 'Morning, Freddie, my you look handsome! Are those pancakes? You're a bachelor who can cook. Be still my beating heart!'" He said flipping a perfectly browned cake.

"Coffee first." She said softly. His teasing was a bit too much before she fully woke up.

"Cups are in that cabinet. Coffee is in the pot on the counter."

She opened the cabinet he pointed to. She stared at the shelf. Surely he was kidding. She stretched to reach a mug and her finger brushed the very edge. She huffed. She tried again, this time flailing slightly. No luck. She needed coffee and these mugs insisted on taunting her.

"Easy there, little one. Don't hurt yourself." He said grabbing a mug and handing it to her.

"I'm not little. You're abnormally tall." She grumbled as she poured herself a cup of dark caffeine.

He gave her a mock pout and turned abruptly to cross his arms like a child. "No breakfast for you."

She rolled her eyes and they landed on the clock. That had to be wrong. Her internal clock was never wrong.

"That clock has to be wrong." She said while blowing on her coffee.

"Yeah. It's about 20 minutes slow." He said sliding the contents of his pan onto a plate creating a tower of perfectly cooked disks.

She mumbled a mild curse. She rushed to finish her coffee, burning her tongue and groaning in the process. She ran back to the room to get her robe. She tripped over someone on her way out. She yelled her thanks without looking back. She beat on her door with determination. Harry and his escapades be damned. Draco opened the door looked very pleased and pissed at the same time. He was also very naked. Hermione wanted to lecture him about etiquette but she just didn't have the time. She pushed past him without a greeting. He was partly to blame for her being late.

She was bouncing into a pair of jeans and trying to clip her hair back when she noticed Harry sleeping soundly in her bed sporting a number of dark hickies. She sincerely hoped he remembered at least some of last night. She snapped a photo before pulling on a jumper and grabbing her bag and shoes. She ran out the door telling Draco not to worry about locking up and to help himself to anything in the kitchen. No that there was much.

She ran out the door and started shoving her feet into her shoes, hopping down the hallway. She was trying desperately to keep moving and to keep her bag from throwing her off balance. It felt heavier than usual this morning. Fred was standing in the door of his apartment wearing a smirk but still no shirt. He waved a piece of bacon at her.

"Breakfast, neighbor?"

She contemplated it for half a second before using her mouth to grab it while she adjusted her shoe. "Fanks." She mumbled around the strip before turning away to rush to class. Her teacher luckily decided not to punish her by kicking her out of class. She was grateful for her excellent attendance record as it saved her in moments such as these. Granted, these moments were far and few between. She didn't really need to attend this particular lesson. She had read the chapter and made notes in advance but she enjoyed having a more complete understanding and it was possible that the teacher may have something of value to add.

She finished her lessons and messaged Ginny that she would meet her for a late lunch before she headed to work. She needed to catch up her ginger friend was so rarely free. She had practice and training and family events. Her mother, sweet creature that she is, was adamant about the children coming home for dinner as frequently as possible. Ginny was one of the few female friends that Hermione had and she liked her a lot. Ginny had a blatant honesty and captivating energy that made her impossible to hate.

Hermione was seated in a small cafe reading when Ginny walked in. She waved her over. Ginny had a sort of easy grace that made girls envious. She was extremely comfortable in her body and she had every right to be. Hermione was mostly envious of her hair. Ginny rarely did anything special with it but the smooth, copper locks made her heart turn. She would kill for hair that tame. Ginny sat down in front of her and snatched half of her sandwich. She took a generous bite.

"I'm starving! They ran us out today." She said dropping her bag on the ground.

"You could always order your own." Hermione said with no real concern. She was willing to share.

"When I can have yours? Never." Ginny flashed a toothy grin before flagging down the waiter to order her own food.

Hermione thought the grin looked a bit too familiar. She distinctly recalled seeing a very similar grin earlier that morning and a few times last night as well.

"Ginny, how many brothers do you have exactly?"

"Six. Why?"

"You, uhm, don't happen to have twin brothers?"

"Mhm." She mumbled around another bite of sandwich. She raised a brow at Hermione's silence. "'Mione? Why?"

Hermione gave a nervous chuckle. "I think I slept at your brother's place last night."

Ginny's mouth fell open and bit of sandwich fell out.

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Poor Mione. I haven't really thought about who to put Ginny with, if I should put her with anyone at all.

Let me know what you think in the reviews :) More Mione and Fred interactions in the next chapter. More George too! Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Chapter 3

I am so sorry for the delay with this chapter. I have 9 other stories that need updating and 4 requests I am working on as well as trying to work on some original stuff. It's honestly kind of nice being so busy but holiday season is coming which means I also have Christmas presents to work on. Who knew knitting a scarf takes so much damn time? Anyway!

Read. Rate. Review. Be jolly and enjoy pecans and dark coffee.

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Ginny was staring at Hermione like she had grown an extra head.

"What do you mean you think you slept at my brothers'?"

"I think my neighbors are your brothers. I'm not positive of course. I suppose it's perfectly possible that there are other ginger twins." Though not with that smile.

"You slept at Fred and George's?" Ginny nearly screamed in her shock. "Does this have something to do with you getting locked out last night?"

"It has everything to do with my being locked out last night! You're brothers are the reason behind a terrible, if not the worst, night of my life." Hermione hissed out with a frown.

Ginny smirked. "Worse than the time you snuck out with Ron and Harry to see if the neighbors dog was guarding treasure and fell into a pond and got tangled in seaweed?"

"Yes. No. Possibly." She rested her head in her hands. She went through her night in explicit detail. Ginny listened and tried to smother her laughter behind her sandwich. Hermione threw a chip at her and laughed when it got caught in her fiery hair. "Ginny. I was late to class. This is no laughing matter."

"You don't think anything is funny."

"That's not true. Jokes are funny. Clean and wholesome jokes are funny. Getting locked out in your pajamas and spending the night at a stranger's apartment is not funny."

"But they aren't strangers! They're family."

"Until last night we've never met." Which was surprising considering how much time Hermione had spent over at the Weasley's home during her youth. She had actually hurt her mother's feelings at one point when she said she would rather have dinner at Molly's. Her mother had burst into tears and Hermione had spent the next week dragging her mother into bookstores and museums until her mother insisted she go back. Molly was a second mother to Hermione and had been welcomed into the family as easily as Harry. She had honestly thought she had met all of Ron and Ginny's siblings. It was shocking to learn so many years later that there were two more.

"You'll enjoy having them around eventually." Ginny said off handedly as she finished her food.

"I sincerely doubt that."

"They'll do you good, 'Mione. You need some fun in your life."

Ginny and Hermione spent a few more minutes chatting and planning when to meet up again before they parted ways. Hermione watched her friend leave with a sigh. Ginny was so rarely wrong but Hermione couldn't imagine liking her neighbors after last night. She liked her room because it was the right size, the right location and peaceful. How was she supposed to get anything done with neighbors like that?

She walked into work in a daze. She had finally moved past the craze of the previous night and was now focusing on the test she had taken. She tried to remember each question and her answers. She cursed herself for not remembering everything. She clocked in while pondering how much her grade would lower. She had the highest grade in the class so it should be okay. But what if it wasn't. She spent the rest of her shift at the bookstore reading and helping customers and trying to remember the test questions. By the time she got off work she had convinced herself that she had failed it completely.

Her mind was so occupied that she did not notice one of the twins coming out of their building. She was mumbling to herself and looking for her keys when she ran into a warm wall in a sweater that's knit was all too familiar. In fact, her sweater was the exact same shade of deep green. The only difference was that there was a yellow H on her sweater and the F in front of her was very large and very white. She looked up with startled honey eyes.

"Well hello, Duckie. No need to tackle me. I was going to say hello anyway." He said looking down at her with playful blue eyes.

"Fred." She replied almost shakily. She didn't like how easily he made her lose balance.

"You remembered my name." He looked surprised but pleased.

"Well, I did just have lunch with your sister." She said with a small smile. He smiled brilliantly and she had a sudden urge to kick him in the shin. He looked like he just solved a puzzle, all too pleased with himself. "What?"

"You looked so pleased for a moment but now you're frowning. You're like an open book."

She huffed. She was not. She knew first hand that she was good at keeping secrets. How else would she have kept out of detention during her years of running around with Harry and Ron? Harry was the real instigator. He was always dragging them out on some adventure and Ron was more than happy to encourage him. Hermione went along to make sure they didn't get themselves killed. At least, that's what she told them. Secretly she loved the chaotic misadventures they went on. It was the first time she had ever really bonded with anyone her own age. She had always been a bit of a loner because of her intelligence. They had never once made fun of her for being smarter than them. Well, Ron had once but he apologized after he found out his comment had made her cry.

"See! Right now your brow is all furrowed and your pouting. It's rather cute actually."

Did he just call her cute? She flushed. Oh god. She could feel the heat in her cheeks which only worsened it. She averted her gaze but refused to tuck her chin in like some embarrassed school girl. She was close enough that when his laughter shook his body it caused him to brush against her. She swallowed and tried to calm her nerves. He was very good at throwing her off balance indeed. She was going to punch him. She was going to do it and she hoped she could at least make him wince. He seemed to read that on her face too because he backed up a bit and eyed her suspiciously.

"Woah there, Duckie. No need for violence." He said raising his hands defensively. She didn't need to voice her curiosity. "Gin gets that look in her eyes before she starts swinging." He explained with a wry smile.

"I wasn't really going to hit you." Yes, she was.

"I'll take your word for it." He looked at her almost contemplatively before speaking. "I have to get going. I'm going to be late for work but I'll see you later." He waited until she nodded before ruffling her hair and running off.

She was left feeling very confused and she was fairly certain there were butterflies in her stomach but she felt calmer than she had all day. She wondered why he had taken the time to talk to her if he was running late. She shook her head as she unlocked her door. She had told Draco it was unnecessary but she had a feeling Harry insisted. He was always telling her she was too carefree when it came to her safety. She always parried with the fact that he made her that way. She dropped her bag and went to her room to get into something more comfortable before studying.

She shimmied out of her pants and into Ron's old t-shirt and was padded into the kitchen to grab something to eat. She searched her fridge to find it relatively empty. She settled for cup noodles. She put the kettle on and went to her desk to begin when there was a knock at the door. She groaned and went to answer it. She opened the door quickly, too tired to ask who it was. If it was a murderer then he better make it fast so she could get back to work.

"Fred?" She asked with wide eyes. Didn't he have work? Why was he looking at her legs?

Oh no.

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Naughty Mione. Pants are supposed to be worn when we answer doors! Cliche? Good.

Hope you enjoyed. Let me know what you think in the reviews! I'm currently working on 2 WolfStar fics that are keeping me pretty busy so hopefully I can wrap those up soon so I can get back to this one!


	4. Chapter 4

I got pretty stuck during this chapter and I can honestly say I don't guarantee quality but I finished it. At the moment that is what matters to me!

Read. Rate. Review. Be jolly and enjoy slow churned vanilla ice cream!

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She resisted the urge to pull her shirt over her bare legs. This was embarrassing. She tried to cool her head but it just wasn't happening. His blue eyes were glued to her legs and his mouth was parted slightly. She cleared her throat and his eyes snapped up to hers. He didn't look at all sorry for staring. Instead, he gave a wry smile. She really wanted to hit him.

"Can I help you?" She asked in a steady voice, grateful it hadn't betrayed her.

"Possibly."

She crossed her arms and his eyes were no longer met her own. She took a moment to appraise him since he was clearly busy doing the same. His shoulders were lovely, though hidden under the weight of his sweater, and his chest was impressive. Hermione found herself wishing he was exposed as well. Her eyes moved lower. His legs looked long but there was definite muscle under his jeans. His hands were large and his fingers twitched as though he wanted to grab something. Her head tilted to the side as she contemplated the movement. She was biting the inner edge of her lower lip when she heard him swear.

"You need to stop looking at me like that or I may do something stupid. I might do something stupid anyway." He said before ruffling his shaggy hair with a large hand.

"What way?" Hermione asked with genuine confusion.

"Like you're picturing me naked." He replied cockily.

Hermione flushed and stammered. "I wasn't, that is, I wouldn't..." She huffed "You're awfully sure of yourself, aren't you?"

Fred took a step forward. "I've seen that look before." Why was his voice so low? Why was he looking at her like that?

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Like what, Duckie?" Wow, he smelled delightful. He was right in front of her. She could only look at his chest. She didn't have the courage to look up at him anymore. She stared intently at the knit of his sweater.

"Like you want to kiss me or something." Her voice was small. She realized as the words left her mouth that perhaps that was what she wanted.

"That's not all I'd like to do but I have a feeling that if I kiss you right now you'll punch me." He said playfully.

Hermione looked up at him. "Most definitely." She stepped closer.

Fred looked down at her with a ferocity that would have frightened a lesser woman. But Hermione had a sense of adventure even if everyone thought she was a stick in the mud. She took a risk and grabbed the hem of his sweater and tugged lightly towards her. A subtle invitation. She thought momentarily that perhaps kissing a stranger wasn't very smart but he was a Weasley and he had been very thoughtful last night. Also, she really wanted to kiss him.

Her dating experience had been very limited in her youth due to always running around with Ron and Harry. Hell, she had even tried dating Ron but that had ended rather quickly. Once they kissed she knew it wasn't right. She hadn't felt a damn thing. It had been very disappointing. She had dated Viktor Krum, an exchange student from a sister school, and as nice as his kisses were they had never moved pass that. He insisted on protecting her virtue. So here she was, a 20 year old virgin who spent her nights studying in her underwear while making noodles. So who could fault her for wanting to kiss her very attractive neighbor?

"I've done worse for a lot less." He said with a shrug before he cupped her face and slanted his mouth over hers.

She could honestly say that it was like no kiss she had ever had before. It was electrifying. His mouth was firm but he moved as he pleased. Even the smallest movement built a fire in her. One of his hands had moved to cup her hip. She had never known someone to take such intimate action so soon. She felt the heat of his hand through her shirt and moved closer. She didn't want to think about what would happen after they parted. She focused on the smooth surface of his lips and the leisurely way he kissed her. He seemed perfectly content to brush his lips against hers with varying pressure. She wanted more. She nipped his lip to tell him so. He groaned into her mouth.

His hand moved from her jaw to cup the back of her neck. She was hitched against him now, on hand on his chest clutching at his sweater, the other on his neck, her fingers lightly pressed against his jaw. His tongue was teasing hers and had her mewling and using him as a beacon of support. She tried to fight for dominance but he was skilled and was clearly intent on showing her who was in charge. She didn't want to be labeled inexperienced so she did the only thing she could think of; she let go of his sweater and slid her hand under it to touch his skin. His kiss slowed for a moment. She grinned. She had gotten the jump on him. Her glory was short lived.

"So that's how you want to play?" He asked against her lips.

She couldn't deliver a witty comeback because she was gasping in surprise. His hands were on her bum. Her bum that was only clad in a pair of cotton panties. She was being hoisted into the air before she would make a sound. She wrapped her legs around the narrow circumference of his hips and tried to slow her breathing. She felt as though her heart had leapt from her chest. She felt the strength of his arms around her. She should have been worried about her weight or him dropping her but she was focused on their bodies. The way the heat radiated between them, the way time seemed to slow, the way his touch electrified her. She couldn't believe it was happening but dared not wish it to stop.

There was a terribly sharp whistle that disturbed the sensual haze. Hermione pulled back first, flushed and embarrassed by her own eagerness. Fred seemed keen to linger. His hands were still firm on her arse and he was nibbling her neck down. He didn't move when she muttered about the kettle. He stepped inside and used his foot to close the door.

"Fred, put my down. I need to move the kettle." She ordered.

"No need." He carried her over to the stove as she muttered about how impractical he was being because she had two legs that she could use. "Yes but they're wrapped around me at the moment and I really think that's the best place for them. In fact, I don't think you should ever remove them from my person." He said with a cheeky kiss to her cheek.

She had half a mind to hit him but his mouth had closed around her ear lobe and she couldn't find it in her to fault his logic.

"What would you do if I took you to your room right now?" He asked against her neck.

She hummed thoughtfully. "I think I'd have to kick you." She pulled his mouth back to hers. "It's that way." She mumbled into his mouth not bothering to point.

She felt the rumble of his laugh in every inch of her body. Oh god, was she really going to do this? Was Hermione Stick-In-The-Mud Granger going to have sex with her neighbor, a man she barely knew and also probably hated a little bit? She felt the panic rise in her chest. Her nerves were on fire. Was this really happening?

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So, do you think she'll go through with it?

Let me know what you think in the reviews! Thanks for reading :)


	5. Chapter 5

She was doing this. Holy crap on a cracker... Maybe she should slow down? What would Harry tell her to do? She would do the exact opposite of what Harry would tell her to do because that always got her into trouble. Harry would tell her to go for it. She should not do that. She should pull away and tell him she was mistaken. But she didn't want to do that. Despite always getting into trouble with Harry she always had fun. She was pretty damn sure Fred would be more than a little fun.

He looked a bucket of fun. Hell, he was the whole damn cargo ship of fun. She decided to embrace it. She would have her own little adventure. After all, she would barely see him after this. She never saw him at Weasley family event and until that party she had never met him in the building; strange because she had lived in this building for almost 2 years.

"Are you done thinking?" He asked against her neck. She looked at him startled. How had he known she had been contemplating? "You stopped making those cute little noises."

"I don't make noises." She denied vehemently.

"Sure, and I'm not 6'3." He said with a smirk.

"Jesus, you're a giant."

"Nope. You're just short." He said before he tossed her onto her bed.

Her body bounced momentarily. She hadn't realized they had gotten so far while her mind had wandered. She felt the soft cotton sheets under her naked legs and remembered how very bare she was and how this had all gotten started. Heavens, he looked good. His hair was rumpled and his blue eyes were fiery. His shoulders were pushed back and he looked positively primal. She bit her lip and decided to tease him a bit.

She raised her arms over her head. Her shirt rose as she moved. She tilted her chin towards her chest and rested her temple against her upper arm. She bent one knee and left the other extended. She looked up at him with what she hoped were bedroom eyes. Chances were that she was just giving him cow eyes.

"Fuck. Duckie, you look like a dream."

"Is that so?"

"Oh yeah."

"Good. That was what I was going for." She said saucily.

"Like a pin up I used to fancy." He said before putting his hand on the edge of the bed.

The new angle made her shiver. There was something downright animalistic in his appraisal. He seemed to be accessing ever last inch of her. Usually this kind of scrutiny made her feel self-conscious and itch to cover up. She felt the urge to remove her shirt as well but figured if she was going to play the vixen she might as well commit. Thankfully her days of running around with the boys had developed her acting skills.

"You're terribly overdressed." She said with a cold voice that said I'm getting bored, you'd better entertain me.

He gave a smile that made her falter because oh god, that was the kind of expression that made her feel like she was special. It looked like it was just for her. She wanted to see it again and again. She felt her tension about this entire situation melt. She wanted to touch him, feel him, learn him. She wanted to see his other expressions. She should have run for the hills when that crossed her mind but she knew it would be easier to give herself to someone she would never see again and could fantasize about for years to come. She could project her ideals and it would be a great experience. Nothin like Ginny's first time, a travesty with her boyfriend of the time Dean who turned out to be gay and in love with their friend Seamus.

"I can fix that, love."

She smiled slowly when the words left his mouth. How endearing. He liked pet names. She had never been one to enjoy them before but he made them seem playful and sweet. Pitiful. She was pitiful. She was way too into this guy after such a short amount of time. She decided to focus on his progressively naked body. He was finally getting around to stripping.

His Weasley sweater was the first to go. She was grateful that the reminder of his familial ties to her best friends was finally out of sight. He had a white tshirt on underneath but he grabbed the shoulders and pulled it over his head in a quick movement that secreted away the movement of his muscles. She had anticipated watching his arms ripple as he removed the article. She was appeased when it was dropped to the floor. He truly was spectacularly built. She wished he would get on with it though. She had enough looking.

"You look like you're antsy." He was smirking.

She flushed. She wasn't as prepared to play the vixen as she thought. "I want to touch you." She muttered softly.

He grabbed the ankle of her bent leg and pulled it gently. When her legs were flat he crawled over her. His shaggy hair hung around them like a fiery curtain. She looked at him with pleading eyes, hoping that he would do something. Anything! "You're welcome to touch me anywhere."

She moved her hands to his shoulders slowly. She delighted in the difference in skin tone. He looked so fair against her dark complection. Her fingers splayed over the smattering of freckles on his muscled shoulders. She followed the trail of copper flakes down his bicep and forearm. She nipped his wrist gently before smiling to herself. She wasn't looking at him. She was too busy following her movements.

Her hands went to his chest. She had admired it that very morning with no intention of ever touching it but here she was cataloguing every detail. She curled her stomach slightly and kissed the edge of his collarbone as that was all she could reach in their current position. Her hands were now spread over his ribs and she felt his heart hammering and the quick expansion and contraction of his bones as they moved with his lungs. It was flattering to know that he was as affected by her as she was by him. But then again, she need only look lower to his jeans for proof.

She bit her lip and moved her hand to the denim bulge that was under scrutiny. She trailed delicate fingers down the zipper with teasing pressure. She heard Fred curse above her and smiled. She wanted to take her time but her hormones drove her to hurry along to the main event.

"You're a right tease." She felt rather than heard as his head had dropped to her neck.

"I've never been called a tease before tonight." She said with a breathless chuckle.

"So it's just me you decided to torture, is it?" He asked before lavishing her neck in delicate scrapes of his teeth and sweet kisses.

"Only because you deserve it." She said as she pulled his hips down to meet her own.

"Fair enough." He clearly knew his actions were reprehensible even if he didn't act it.

She didn't have a chance to scold him. He claimed her mouth. She found she could kiss him forever and never grow tired of it. Each kiss was a new experience with Fred. He played with her tongue and teased her lips. She wound her hands into his hair once more. She wanted him closer. She told him to get rid of his pants in between breaths. He was maybe a little too skilled at getting out of his pants without disrupting the flow. That was good, she assured herself. A skilled lover is more prepared than a virgin like herself.

Why wasn't she more worried about that? Why was she so okay with giving herself to this stranger? She thought about the fact that it could be the familiarity of his red hair and pale skin. She assumed looking at the scattered freckles comforted her but she knew that wasn't it. Either way, she wasn't going to dwell. She would be reckless on this night but that was it. She would go back to her structured life after this was over. It was simple; a lovely but short affair and then a peaceful life.

She was pleased to see that he had divested himself of his boxers as well. What a guy. She felt calloused fingers, thumbs from the position of his hands on her hips, stroking the expose skin below the hem of her shirt. She wriggled a bit. He laughed but grabbed the hem and divested her of the article. She felt the air around her. Her skin was too sensitive now. She felt like she could feel sparks between them and the heat of his body. She used her arms to pull him back into her.

Her nipples were hard under the thin fabric of her bra. She had always been grateful that she had not been blessed with an overly abundant chest. She had always been incredibly proportionate. She was short and a healthy weight and her chest and bum were of average size. She couldn't complain. She was soft in the places most women were. She was tempted to beg for some friction but Fred was already taking care of that.

His mouth was attacking her neck while his hips rolled teasingly into hers. It couldn't have been a comfortable position for his back but currently Hermione couldn't give a damn. His fingers danced over the skin of her hips and down her thighs. She was aching now. Her core throbbed with desire and if he didn't do something about it soon she would do it herself. She made a sound low in her throat when his fingers grazed her sex. He smiled into her collarbone.

"Don't worry, Duckie. I'll take care of you.

"Then you might want to get on with it." She tried to snap but it held no real heat. She arched her hips into his hand pleadingly.

"Bossy little wench, aren't you." It wasn't a question.

"You've no ide-ah!" She cried out as his fingers made contact with her clit.

Okay, so all the build up had been worth it because now his fingers were caressing her like he was finger painting and it was magical. His touch was sure and steady but it evoked the most shocking response. He touched her as though he had known her body for ages. His mouth was attentive to her nipples, licking and nipping at the appropriate intervals. He was stroking a fire within her and it was a matter of minutes before she was climaxing. Her nails bit into this arm and back as she moaned and her body shook.

When the spasms slowed she was breathing heavily. That was the fastest she had ever cum in her life. Her gaze was unfocused. Her head felt light and her body heavy. Her hands were stroking his arms and back lazily. She rolled her hips to find a more comfortable position and felt his erection. Oh god, she had forgotten about that. Though it seemed to be a feat considering the size of it.

"I didn't take you for a screamer." He punctuated the statement with a thumb caressing her nipple under the fabric of her bra.

"I'm not?"

"You are."

Oh god... was she? She felt more than a little embarrassed.

"But don't worry. I'm sure its just my skill." He said with a charming smile. Hermione couldn't help but laugh as she rolled her eyes and smacked his shoulder. "Ouch!" He mocked hurt. "You've gone and ruined the mood."

She rolled her hips into his. "Feels like the mood is still there." She said in a condescending manner.

"I've got a gorgeous naked woman under me. My mother could walk in and the mood would still be here." He said before kissing her neck.

"If you're mother walked in the mood may still be here but I most certainly wouldn't be." She quipped as she scraped her nails gently across the skin of his ribs.

He hummed appreciatively. "That's what you think. I bet I could keep you here."

"You're so cocky." She scoffed. Oh indeed, he was quite cocky. She could feel it pressed against her core.

"I'll show you cocky." Fred gave a brilliant smile and she knew he would follow through.

 _Please do,_ she thought giddily.

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I cut this one short because I'm trying to pick a story for a fanfic competition and I need to edit and refine it before submitting but hopefully you enjoyed it anyway!

Thanks for reading! let me know what you think in the reviews


	6. Chapter 6

Okay, maybe this wasn't a good idea. But by god, she was sure it would be her favorite. She seldom wanted things for herself. She did her best to do good for others. She was raised to give without the intention of receiving in lived her life by that but she was going to take as much as she could right now without giving much in that she knew anything about giving him something in return. She wished she was a bit more experienced. She wished she could do something to make him feel as spectacular as she felt. But Fred didn't seem to mind. In fact, he seemed intent on giving her as much pleasure as possible without a care for himself.

She was pulled into another searing kiss and her best idea. She wanted him inside her. She wanted him to follow through on all those ridiculous innuendos he had dished out. She wanted him to bring her to the peak again and fall over it with her. She wanted...

He slid inside her slowly.

That! That was what she wanted. Although, she could live without the pressure of him stretching her and the slight burn. Was it meant to feel like that? Oh god. It was more painful than she had anticipated. Where was the pleasure? Maybe Dean being gay wasn't why Ginny's first time was rubbish. Hermione clenched her eyes shut and took steadying breaths. She had read about this. If she could just move past the pain then it would be good, lovely even.

Deep breaths weren't really helping. Books were usually how she got through everything. She had made friends with the help of books, gotten through stressful situations, made life decisions. How were they not helping now? Maybe she hadn't gotten the right book. Why had her mother not gone into more detail when explaining this stuff?

"It's an act that should be shared with someone special, love. The person you have sex with should respect you and your body." and then she had gone into technical bits explaining the importance of condoms and birth control.

Where was the, "Hey, it's not going to be that great. Don't listen to those romance novels I know you keep hidden under the bed. Seriously. It's going to be you!" Where was that? Why hadn't her mother prepared her?

"Oh god... Oh fuck." Fred said above her in horror.

"What? What's wrong?" She asked opening her eyes quickly.

"You're a virgin." He looked at her mystified.

"Well, yes. What's wrong with that?" She asked as coolly as possible. She was really quite nervous now.

"Well for one thing I would have taken a bit more time. It would have been very different."

She scoffed. "I doubt that. Best to get it over with and move on to the good stuff."

He stared at her with wonder and smiled. "You're a trooper."

"Just logical." She muttered shyly and blushed.

"Don't sell yourself short." His hips slid deeper and he hissed. "Sorry. Didn't mean to do that."

"It's okay. It's better now I think. You can move?" She replied hesitantly.

"I can wait. It might kill me but I can wait."

She chuckled a bit and shook her head. "Really. I'm fine. Please move."

She meant it. She felt a dull throb but it was subtle. She was determined to enjoy this. She took a deep breath and he moved. She felt him fill her. She felt the heat of him within her. She was delighted to find that it felt rather nice. Not great but better. She was beginning to enjoy it. Progress!

His hips were rolling into her and she felt a familiar pressure building. She moaned loudly when he hit a particular spot inside her. She heard a chuckle and a soft, "I told you so" before he sped up. She was clawing at his back and panting into the skin of his neck. His mouth was teasing the skin of her neck and nibbling at the lobe of her ear. His free hand, the one not anchoring him to the bed, caressed her rib and the underside of her exposed breast. She was whimpering and sighing in ecstasy.

"Jesus, you're sweet." He moaned before kissing her soundly. She moaned. "You feel so good. I could stay in you forever."

"That's not practical." She said, licking his upper lip.

"Don't care." He said around the lip he had grabbed with his teeth.

She couldn't bring herself to reply. Her hands clutched at his head as her breath hitched. She rasped out his name. His hand moved to her clit and stroked her lazily. She rolled into him with unmatched enthusiasm. She tried to urge the climax forward.

"Easy, Duckie. I've got you."

"I'm so close. Please, Oh god, Fred," her head turned from side to side, her thick curls gliding across her sheet.

"I know." He sounded pleased with himself.

She knew he was close too. His brow was sweaty and his body had tightened. His movements were quick and shallow. She cupped his jaw tenderly and pulled his lips back to hers. She kissed him openly as her climax hit her. She heard him groan and a few thorough pumps later he was falling over the cliff with her.

She was feeling giddy and sleepy all at once. Fred fell on top of her. She welcomed the weight of him on top of her. His head was tucked into the curve of her neck. Hermione was staring at the wall without really seeing. She touched the damp ginger locks on his head. She felt his body rise and fall with each heady breath.

She felt wonderful. It was too good. She felt like she should shoo him out of her bedroom and out of her life. That would be the smart thing to do. Instead, she wanted to curl up against his side and sleep. She felt blissful and calm. It was a rare feeling. She hadn't felt this relaxed since her last holiday at the Weasley home.

"We should probably get up and shower or something." She mumbled sleepily.

"Do you want to?" He asked against her neck.

She didn't look at him. "Not really."

"Then don't worry about it." He kissed the hollow spot behind her ear.

She sighed contently. She felt so at peace it was impossible to fight sleep. She dozed off within moments. She dreamed of fields of wild flowers and babbling brooks, fireworks and warm nights. She woke up just as the sun was peaking out from behind the thin morning clouds pressed against Fred's chest. His red hair was wild and bright against the pale white coverings on her pillow. She traced a finger absently over the ridges of his chest.

She thought about how silly it was to get involved with her best friends' brother. God, what if he started coming around for the holidays? Or worse, what if she saw him in the hall? It had been a fantastic night and Fred was absolutely wonderful. She had the urge to get to know him, to spend days with him, to learn what his favorites were and get angry at him again. She needed to push down the sentimentality and kick him out of bed so she could shower and get on with her life. That was the only choice. Better to live with the possibility of fantasies than get attached and have it crash around her.

"Fred." She said softly. He rolled slightly and wrapped his arm around her. Her heart clenched and she scooted closer. "Fred," she said as she shook his shoulder. He groaned but didn't wake. "Fred!" She hissed.

"Wha," he mumbled, pushing his face into the mass of her hair.

"You have to go. I need to shower and get ready for the day."

"Stay in bed." He said as he stroked her naked hip with his thumb.

Damn that felt good. "No. I have class soon. You have to go." She said pulling away.

"In a min'te." He tried to kiss her but she turned away.

She couldn't get sucked back in. She knew it would be easy for her to lose herself in these moments. She needed to keep a level head. One of them had to be rational. It might as well be her. He clearly wasn't thinking about how awkward things could be.

"Fred. Thank you for the lovely evening but really, you ought to go."

He sat up in the bed and scratched at his head. She marvelled at his chest. Heavens, he was gorgeous. She wanted to crawl back into the bed and sit in his lap and kiss him until their stomachs insisted they turn to different activities. She knew her face was betraying her because Fred looked like he wanted to pull her into him and pleasure her all over again.

"You don't look like you want me to leave."

She turned away from him and grabbed her fluffy robe from the floor, where she had deposited it just the day before. God, she had barely known him for an entire day and she was already attached. Pitiful. _Just pitiful, Granger_.

"Well, I do. You have to go." She threw his pants at him and rolled her shoulders back to feign confidence. He looked so cute with rumpled hair and sleepy blue eyes and his bare legs sticking out from the sheet. It was covering all the good bits but what a delicious sight. She shivered. Time to go!

"Duckie, what the hell is going on? Thanks for a lovely evening? Throwing me out in the morning? Really." He stood and shoved his long legs into his pants. He pulled a hair elastic from his jeans and wrapped his hair into a ponytail.

"I just don't think it's a good idea to linger after a one night stand. It's not practical." She mumbled. She stared at her toes. Her nails were bare but she usually painted them a soft shade of pink that complemented her dark complexion.

"One night stand? Is that what this was?"

"Wasn't it?" She asked as coldly as she was able. She saw him prickle. His warm blue eyes turned to ice. She felt the warm glow that had been wrapped around her dissipate. This was it. This was how it would end. Clean and quick. No misunderstandings.

"Right you are. Well, off I go." He grabbed his shirt and sweater and took great strides towards the door. "Thanks for a lovely evening." His tone was mocking and a tad bitter.

She nodded and opened her dresser drawer to grab something to wear. She didn't want to watch him leave. She was such a sad excuse for a brain, getting attached too quickly. She wanted him to go but she couldn't watch. She wanted to feel like she had before. Empty but satisfied with her life. She heard the door close and sighed with relief. She looked up and saw him standing there watching her.

"I'm not going until we sort this out."

She smiled a stubborn ass. What a stupid stubborn ass.

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Thanks for reading! I'm editing Weasley Boy on How to Romance a Bookworm for a fanfic competition. I'll link it in the next chapter so feel free to check it out or whatever.

Let me know what you think in the reviews!


	7. Chapter 7

This chapter felt really weird while I was writing it. I can't say I'm satisfied but I know I won't be able to turn out anything better so hopefully it's okay. I even wore my Deathly Hallows shirt for inspiration. No luck.

Read. Rate. Review. Be jolly and crumpets with strawberry preserves.

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Hermione schooled her expression. "There isn't anything to sort." She turned back to the drawer that was open. She grabbed a loose knitted top before she moved to another to pull out jeans. As pleased as she was that he wanted to stay and talk, because honestly who wouldn't be a little flattered by that, she knew it wasn't a good idea.

"And I'm not ginger," Fred quipped. "Just talk to me. You owe me that."

"I owe you!?" She gave him her virginity. She didn't owe him anything!

"Yes. You tossed me out of bed without so much as a good morning kiss. I'm hurt." He said crossing his long arms over his chest.

"You have my virginity. We're even." She said as she shoved her legs into a pair of dark panties. She wriggled into her jeans. It felt silly to get dressed under her robe considering the fact that he had already seen her naked. She couldn't bring herself to reveal her skin so easily while she was trying to kick him out.

"Nope. You traded that in for orgasms. You owe me." He gave a smug smile.

She stared at him for a moment. He looked appetizing. His long red locks were in a tangled mess on the top of his head and he hadn't put on his shirt or sweater yet. She could hardly focus on all the reasons they wouldn't work with him shirtless like that. She was positively distracted. She was even beginning to reason with herself why it would be okay to let him stay. With a great huff she decided to humor him. She would make her point and he would leave. Problem solved.

"Fine! You're my neighbor," she began.

"Close proximity makes it easier to see each other." He parried quickly.

"Okay, I'm close with your family."

"Saves us both from the awkward meet the folks."

"I'm younger."

"Girls mature faster than boys."

"We have nothing in common!" She said exasperatedly.

"You don't know that. You haven't gotten to know me."

"Exactly! We don't know each other."

"Let me stick around and you can get to know me."

She threw her hands in the air and groaned. He was infuriating. He always had a retort. It was probably the first time in her life that someone had come back on all her statements. She was both impressed and annoyed. Why was he so determined to get to know her? Why couldn't he just let her be? Then again, why was she so insistent that he leave her alone? She took a deep breath.

"I've never done this before. I don't know how to be in a relationship. I'm not saying you're looking for a relationship by any means. I'm just saying that it, that is, _this_ could lead to one. I don't know how to be in a couple. And if it doesn't work then I have to see you in the halls and at family gatherings. It will all be so incredibly awkward." She took a breath. "So you see that it's best if you just leave and we sweep the whole thing under the rug."

When she finally looked at him again he was smirking. The cocky little sod was smirking! Of all the arrogant, pig headed, egotistical things to do! He seemed all too pleased with what she said and not in an I-accept-that-you-are-right-Hermione way. That was not a face of sullen acceptance.

"You want to be in a relationship with me." He said with the sort of smugness that made her palms itch.

"Are you deaf or dumb? I just said that I don't want to be with you." She hissed before slamming her drawers closed only to realize she hadn't grabbed socks. She scowled as she reached into a drawer to pull out a pair of thick socks.

"I heard you just fine. You already calculated the worst case scenarios. You thought about being with me long enough that we would have an awkward breakup. A little neurotic but rather adorable, I must say." He said stepping towards her.

"You stay over there." She said clutching her socks to her chest.

"Why? Afraid I might tempt you to do something naughty, _Neighbor_?" He said saucily.

Yes. Yes she was very afraid he would tempt her to do something very naughty. Hell, she was afraid she wouldn't need to be tempted. She was willing to throw him into her bed and ride him to completion and then spend the next three days finding out what other positions they could fumble their way into. She didn't need to be tempted which was why it was very important that he stay over there.

"No. I just think it's best if we keep our distance." She said coolly.

"I think that's a rubbish idea."

"I'm sure you do. But seeing as it's my apartment we are going to play by my rules."

"Let's go to my apartment and we can play by my rules. My rules are better because there are no rules. Much more fun. You look like you could use some fun."

"I had plenty of fun last night, thank you very much." She had meant to sound terse, not wistful.

"You're welcome. Let's have some more." He said stepping closer. She could touch him if she reached out now.

This was dangerous. He was dangerous. He was definitely not her type. She wasn't attracted to wily redheads with perfect bodies and charming smiles that promised adventure. She didn't like mischief makers. Not one bit. She liked boys that weren't intimidating and followed rules...probably. At the moment Fred was looking very appealing though. He looked like Christmas morning and rainy Sundays all at once. She found herself leaning towards him and shook her head.

No. Be smart, she scolded herself. She was saving them both a very awkward future by ending this affair right now. He would thank her someday. Hopefully, someday soon.

"No. I really have things to do. You have to go. Thank you. I'm glad we talked about this."

He sighed heavily. "Alright. I'm going to go but only because my ass has been buzzing for at least 10 minutes. I'm sure it's Georgie." He stepped close to her and before she could question him he was kissing her. It was slow and sweet. She leaned into it and closed her eyes while he held her jaw gently in his warm hands. He pulled away slowly. He peppered her mouth with small dry kisses before he spoke against her mouth. "Later Duckie."

She was left gripping her socks wondering how it was that she had gotten sucked in farther after telling him exactly why it was a terrible idea for them to be together. She lied and told herself that she wasn't looking forward to seeing him again. She definitely didn't wear the knitted jumper he left behind to bed that night or every night that followed.

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All righty! I have a pretty cute idea for the next chapter that hopefully will be good for a few laughs. Let me know what you think in the reviews!


	8. Chapter 8

I think maybe 2 to 4 more chapters of this story and then this baby can get wrapped up. It isn't going to be as long as Weasley Boys On How To Romance A Bookworm but I think that'll be a good place to end.

Read. Rate. Review. Be jolly and enjoy french toast bagels with butter and cinnamon!

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Hermione was doing very well. She wasn't thinking about Fred at all. Not one bit! It had been 9 days since _that_ night and she had not only managed to avoid seeing Fred but also thinking about him. Well...mostly. She only thought about him when she went to bed because she was wearing his sweater and in the mornings because her pillow still smelled like him and in the shower because... you know why. There had also been an almost encounter in the hall one day. She spotted him coming out of his apartment and ran down the stairs to hide behind a door. She hadn't stopped to think it could have been George. Too big of a risk factor.

So she was doing fine. It wasn't at all awkward. She could totally do one night stands and she wasn't at all hung up on him. She had lunch with Ginny and didn't even think to ask about him. She went to Ron's for poker night and bother to question after his brother. She saw the girl that was with George at the party and didn't have to stomp the urge to greet her and casually converse. No, she settled for a polite smile after eye contact.

Okay, so it was all a lie. She had been dying to tell Ginny about her night with Fred and ask if he had said anything. She had to practically suffocate herself with popcorn to keep from asking Ron how Fred was. And when she saw the girl who was with George she practically ran away to keep from exploding. She felt like it was impossible to escape him. She never should have slept with him. Hell, she never should have left her apartment.

Who said it was important to know your neighbors? Because she would like very much to hit them in the face. with a chair. She just hoped it would get easier with time.

It didn't. It had officially been 13 days since she had welcomed Fred into her bed with open arms and open legs. His scent was nearly gone from her pillow and she was still wearing his sweater. She had cancelled a dinner date with Ginny for fear of snapping. She restricted her phone calls with Ron to 10 minutes because any longer than that and she might ask something stupid. She had even changed the way she walked to class to avoid George's lady friend.

She was determined though! The nagging ache will go away, she told herself. Only it hadn't. She was sitting on her couch drinking tea and reading in his sweater when her phone vibrated. She picked it up and saw a message from Ginny. She was celebrating a massive win and demanded Hermione come to her party. She politely declined as she was in for the night and had cozied up already. Ginny wasn't having it.

 **Get your arse over here or I'll drag you out myself**.

Hermione sighed. She would too. The last time that had happened Hermione had been manhandled into a tight red dress and 4 inch heels. She would much rather dress herself before spending 3 hours miserably at a party where she knew no one. She wasn't exactly great at making friends. Her nerves frequently got the best of her and she fumbled to find the right words. She sent Ginny a short message with a resigned confirmation before standing up.

She had shrugged into a knee length skirt and a t-shirt with a picture of her cat on it. Her father had sent it a month after she had moved into the dorm. She had to leave Crookshanks with her parents for a while and missed his squashed little face. The only perk was that her clothes weren't covered in orange fur. She grabbed a cardigan and her things before she left. She was very to have a skirt with pockets. She shoved her phone and wallet into them before closing the door. She was just locking up when the twins' door opened. She froze for a moment. She had to make a choice; be cordial or ignore whoever it was. She decided to take the adult path.

Ignore him.

She turned to walk down the hall and held her breath as she got closer to their door. The ginger turned to look at her and smiled brightly. She stared at him wide eyed for a moment before returning a tight and awkward smile. She was the picture of charm and friendliness.

"Hermione." He greeted. She wasn't really looking at him anymore. She was staring at his shirt. It had a grizzly bear wearing a sombrero on it.

"Hello." She mumbled.

"Where you off to?" He said putting his key in his pocket.

"Ginny's party." Oh god, let it end!

"I'm headed that way too. Need a lift?"

"erm, no. I was going to take the bus." She answered looking at her shoes. Her flats were worn and the toes were scuffed.

"Nonsense! You never know what kind of hooligans you'll run into this time of night." He said.

"Like you." She quipped without thinking.

He laughed but it didn't make her chest warm like it should. She looked at him and felt no stirring when she saw his shaggy hair or sparkling eyes. It had finally happened! She was over him. It was probably due to the shirt. Why does a bear need a sombrero? She didn't know and she didn't care. It shook her up enough to realize it was fascination.

"Like me. Come on, neighbor. Can't have you riding with a bunch of strangers."

"I won't be riding with you then." she replied readily.

"Ouch! Words hurt you know." He said playfully.

"Not as much as a foot to the shin." She mumbled to herself. Not that she felt like kicking him. Rather she felt like kicking herself. She should have ignored him but he was charismatic and she found herself drawn into conversation. She knew that at this point she would end up riding with him. There was no point in arguing further. It would waste her time and if she didn't arrive soon then Ginny would be pouring shots down her throat. "I'm sorry. Thank you for the offer. I'm in your care." She said awkwardly.

"Ta! Let's be off. Gin's spirits are sure to be going down by the minute."

The ride was awkward to say the least. The radio was on but the volume was very hushed. There was a quiet hum in the car. She watched the light from the streets stream through the window and onto her hand. It was mesmerizing for a time. She was tired and her bra was already annoying her. She found herself angry at agreeing to go so readily. Hermione looked at her chauffeur. His mouth was pursed, as though he wanted to say something. She wanted to say something too. Something like why are you doing this or can't we just move on already. Maybe even, would you mind wearing your sweater again for a bit because it doesn't smell like you anymore and I'm having a hard time sleeping.

She felt the tension in her throat. She wanted to break the silence but honestly she could barely look at his face without feeling embarrassed. She was all too happy when they parked. She opened her door quickly. She felt more than a little foolish to be rushing off. They would be sharing a space all night. It didn't seem logical to run away. She tried anyway. She didn't get very far before he was beside her again. His long legs made easy strides while hers pounded furiously against the pavement.

She looked up at him. He was biting back a smile and she rolled her eyes. He seemed all too pleased at the situation. How was he not reading the atmosphere? This was too strange. She wanted him to go away. She didn't feel the urge to throw herself upon him but she certainly wanted to yell at him. If only to make herself feel better. Instead she bit the inside of her cheek and suffered in silence.

They walked up the stairs to Ginny's flat in an awkward manner. He took the steps two at a time, as though he refused to stay behind her. She was tempted to punch him in the leg. She admitted hesitantly to himself that his butt was quite nice. She looked away when he looked over his shoulder and snorted a laugh. She cursed herself. This was going to be the longest night of her life.

He knocked on the door to Ginny's flat quite loudly when they arrived at the landing. The door was opened by Blaise Zabini. Hermione was fond of Blaise. He had an easy nature that was found so rarely in her friend group. He fit in with just about everyone with ease and had a way of making you smile. She had first come across him at a party that Harry had. He had come with Draco. She had thought they were a couple until she found him flirting in the corner with Ginny. Hermione had encouraged Ginny to pursue Blaise but her friend just shook her head.

"He flirts with everyone. It's just his nature." But there was a soft blush on her cheeks.

Now he was opening the door to her flat. Hermione smiled at him politely. His returning smile was bright against his dark skin. His complexion was very similar to her own. She had never seen him with long hair. It was kept very short because he played football. He had told her once that he simply couldn't be bothered with it. He was very handsome and she could understand Ginny's interest.

"You finally made it." He said welcoming them in. He clapped her companion on the shoulder and pointed to the kitchen. "Ginny's in there I think. She's a bit foxed."

Of course she was. Ginny wasn't what Hermione would call a partier. Rather she was an enthusiastic celebrator. She let loose after a particularly grueling game, especially if they won. Hermione spotted a mess of red hair and headed towards it. She didn't bother to say goodbye to the ginger next to her. She was just happy to get away. She waded through a sea of people. Ginny's flat was rather large but it felt no larger than a sardine can with the amount of people there.

"Ginny!" She called over the music. How had the neighbors not called the police?

"Mione, yer here!" She bellowed and tackled her curly haired friend. "What're you wearing?" She said looking down at her baggy clothes and grimacing. "It's a party. Supposed to dress sexy."

Ginny definitely looked sexy. Her red hair was in the finest messy bun Hermione had ever seen and her dress was tight and black. She looked amazing and her shoes looked uncomfortable as hell. She had no doubt they would be kicked off within the hour. Hermione simply shook her head and smiled. There was a drink being thrust into her hands. She made a move to say no but the look on Ginny's face said that she wasn't having it. Hermione eyed the beverage and shrugged. Why not? She could really use a night off after the last 2 weeks.

Unfortunately for her, Ginny made sure she was never thirsty. She had ended up doing shots with some girls from the team and her cup never emptied. She was completely out of it after an hour. She was light headed and dizzy, a bit nauseous but her spirits were up. She felt good. She felt ready to take on the world. Or at least, the tall ginger in the corner of the room talking to Harry who had just so happened to show up. She stumbled over.

She greeted Harry cheerfully. He smiled and gave her a hug. He asked if she was okay. Silly Harry. She was better than okay.

"I'm super." She said with a series of enthusiastic nods.

"You're drunk." He said in wonder.

"So it would seem." Her eyes were having a hard time focusing. She swallowed roughly and looked at the man next to him. "You." She said pointing a finger.

He raised a light eyebrow. "This should be good." He said with a smile that went over her head.

"You're right. It's gonna be really good." She poked him and the chest. "You are such an annoying twat. That's what you are. With your charming smile and your impressive arms and your stupid nicknames. Why do you smell so good? Huh? Why are you so annoyingly charming? I made it clear," She blinked slowly, "clear that it was never gonna happ'n. You couldn't just ignore me. Nooooo! You had to offer me a ride. What kind of person does that? You don't offer rides to people you slept with once! It's not good manners."

She wasn't sure she was getting all the words out but it felt good to say it. She began to sway a little. Before she could recenter there were hands on her hips steadying her. She mumbled a thank you to the person behind her and eyed the man in front of her. He was smiling like a fool and Harry was biting back a laugh. She poked him in the chest again.

"You don't have good manners but you're a good kisser so I'll forgive you." She glared at his mouth. "How'd you do tha' one thing with your tongue?" She slurred.

"I'll show you later." She heard from behind her. She looked over her shoulder and had to swat the mess of curls out of her face to see.

"Either I am very drunk or there are two of you."

"You are very drunk and there are two of us."

She looked back and forth. She stared at the shirt of the man in front of her. Bear with sombrero. She looked behind her. His shirt had aliens abducting cows. Oh no... this was not good. She looked between the two with wide eyes. That explained the lack of spark. She closed her eyes and cursed mentally. Her finger was still digging into George's chest. She patted it in a friendly manner before pulling back. She looked at Fred before she shook her head. Nope.

"If you'll excuse me I have to go throw myself out a window."

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Poor Mione. Life's rough. Stick around for the next chapter. Let me know what you think or want to see. Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

I didn't spend too long on this chapter because I haven't felt much like writing lately but it isn't too bad. I think its okay but that's up to you!

Read. Rate. Review. Be jolly and enjoy Hawaiian rolls!

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Hermione wasn't sure exactly what had happened after her 5th shot but she knew it wasn't good because the pillow she was laying on smelled like Fred and when she opened her eyes she was not in her room. She knew this room. How had she ended up at her neighbors' apartment? She groaned. Her head was pounding and her throat was drier than a bucket of sand. She was pleased to feel her skirt tangled around her legs. At lease she wasn't naked. That would have been embarrassing.

She took a deep breath. She inhaled his scent. It washed over her in comforting haves. Slowly, she sat up. She needed to go back to her room. She left the bed hesitantly. She could have easily remained in the comfort of soft sheets and lush pillows for the rest of the day. She was missing her shoes and hoped they were somewhere she could find them easily before she snuck out. She tip toed towards the door and opened it as slowly as possible. Peeking her head out was a challenge with her hair everywhere. She didn't see anyone in the hall so she opened the door further and stepped into the hall slowly. She winced as the floor creaked slightly. She shuffled along the floor carefully. She took a deep breath as she peaked around the corner to search for the residents. When she saw no one she let out a soft sigh of relief.

"Looking for someone?" said a playful voice behind her.

She let out a loud squeak and jumped. She placed her hand on her heart and turned around in a hurry. She stared at Fred with wide eyes. He looked rumpled and dashing. The long ginger locks on his head were free and the ends were curling slightly. He was in a simple grey shirt that made the blue of his eyes stand out and his pajama pants had baboons on them. She swallowed roughly.

"You startled me."

"I scared you," he corrected "Why are you sneaking about?" He asked leaning to the side to rest his shoulder on the wall.

"I wasn't sneaking." She said weakly.

"Well then, what _are_ you doing?" He gave a small smile.

"I'm looking for my shoes and my cardigan." She said quickly.

He looked her up and down and shook his head. "Your shoes are by the door and you weren't wearing anything else when you were harassing poor George."

Her brow furrowed. What was he talking about? What had she done last night after that fifth shot? She vaguely remembered seeing Harry and she remembered giving Ginny her cardigan at one point. She tipped her head and crossed her arms. She sort of recalled talking to Luna and spilling a drink on Neville. She grimaced. Everything else was rather fuzzy. She opened her eyes and look at him expectantly.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm not surprised. You were positively foxed, Duckie."

There was an unknown tension in her chest that eased when he called her that. She flushed a bit and looked away.

"You thought Georgie was me and you went off on him. It was quite the scene." He said as he pushed off the wall and stepped towards her. She swallowed and looked up at him.

"How awful was it?" She asked firmly, surprising herself.

"Terrible. But he'll get over it." He was toe to toe with her now and she had to crane her neck back to see his face. At this distance she could see each individual freckle on his perfect face. One of his large hands came up to her face and he let the back of his knuckles graze her face delicately. Her breath hitched. She knew she was eyeing his lips and she knew that he knew it too. "Shall I teach you how I do that thing with my tongue now?"

What would one kiss hurt? She nodded slowly. He smiled and cupped her face sweetly before kissing her.

It wasn't at all what he had been expecting. She had expected a rush. Instead, his lips pressed against hers lightly. He kissed her as though it was a Sunday afternoon and he had nothing else to do. She relaxed into the leisurely kiss. Her hands found their way to the small of his back. She sighed into his mouth happily and then his kiss took a new speed. His kiss was feverish now. Fred turned them and pressed her to the wall. He slid her up the wall, his body gliding against hers every inch until their heads were level. Her legs wrapped around him. She touched his hair softly. They weren't being rough with each other. Their passion had simply taken over. She felt his kisses from her head to her toes. She moaned into his mouth and his hands tightened on her waist.

She could feel him all around her and the smell of him made her light headed. She was about to pull away for breath when she heard someone curse and it hadn't been Fred. His mouth was currently busy sucking on her lower lip.

"Fucking Christ."

She pulled away to see George, in his boxers, standing in the hall on his way to the bathroom. He ran a hand over his face. He looked very much like Fred in the morning, when he hadn't cleaned up. She understood why she had made a mistake the previous night.

"How can you possibly be thinking of snogging at this ungodly hour?" He said before heading to the bathroom while shaking his head.

"Good morning to you too." Fred said loudly. He laughed at her horrified expression. He kissed the corner of her mouth sweetly. "Come on, you." He pulled away from the wall and she wrapped her arms around his neck to avoid falling.

"Fred, put me down." She insisted firmly.

"In a moment. Has anyone ever told you you're very impatient?" She huffed and looked away from him, deciding not to deny it.

He used his foot to open his bedroom door more and kicked it shut behind them.

"Fred, I'm going home." She said as though answering some unasked question.

"Of course you are, Duckie." He said with a smile before he flopped her onto the bed. She glared at him. He smiled and stripped his shirt off.

"Wh-what do you think you're doing?" She stared with wide eyes.

"Finally 'bout to get some sleep." He muttered more to himself than her before he climbed into bed next to her.

She was about to sit up and leave when he threw an arm over her waist. She felt his warmth radiate through her. She looked at him and pursed her lips. His eyes were closed but she knew he wasn't asleep yet. She considered leaving but it was still early and the idea of enjoying his company a little longer was hard to resist. She wiggled down the bed and rolled so that they were spooning. She felt him bury his face in her hair and laugh.

"Shut up." She mumbled before drifting to sleep, Fred's chest pressed to her back and his arm firmly wrapped around her.

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Thank you for reading! Let me know what you would like to see more of or what you thought in the reviews. Hope you enjoyed it :)


	10. Chapter 10

I really should go through this and edit before it gets to long. So that will probably happen within the next few days.

Read. Rate. Review. Be jolly and enjoy almond milk and coffee!

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When Hermione woke up for the second time she felt fingers tracing shapes on her back, raising goosebumps under her shirt. Her head was against Fred's chest and her leg was tossed over his hips. She opened her eyes slowly and looked up at him. His head was turned towards her but his eyes were closed. His lashes lay against his cheeks in dark arches. She inhaled deeply, trying to take in his scent as much as possible before she got out of bed and went back to the real world. She shouldn't have slept with him. He had worked his way into her heart and that little nap had sealed the deal. She felt warm and at home in his arms. He had her questioning her resolve and her reasons for avoiding him. All from a little nap... damn him.

His fingers felt wonderful on her skin. She shifted closer to him and assured herself that just a few minutes longer wouldn't hurt or make too much of a difference. She knew she was screwed anyway so what difference did it make? She felt his fingers move to the skin of her hips and she sighed happily and closed her eyes again. She didn't know why it felt so right to be with him and she didn't want to. There were too many reasons it was wrong. She knew that she was giving him the wrong idea. She was giving herself the wrong idea. She took a slow breath and used his chest as support to push herself into an upright position. She looked down and the sight of him made her melt. His hair was vibrant against his pillow and his eyes were clear and blue and looking at her with warmth. She licked her lips and swallowed.

"Erm..." She said eloquently. Her stomach growled loudly before he could speak.

"You can freak out over breakfast." He said with a smile and maneuvered himself out from underneath her. She watched him walk to the door. He stretched as he walked. She found herself mesmerized by the muscles rippling under his pale skin. She fanned herself lightly with her hand. Was it hot in there? She clambered out of the bed and padded after him.

He was tying his hair up into a messy bun when she came into the kitchen. Her brow raised involuntarily. He had to know how attractive he was; standing shirtless by the stove with his body tensed as he tightened his effortlessly perfect hair. She huffed and blew a straw curl out of her face. She wasn't in the mood to feel inferior today. She would much rather spend her mental energy on excusing herself from this situation as easily as possible. She walked into the kitchen and suppressed the urge to wrap her arms around his waist and kiss her way up his body.

"What sounds good? I can make just about any breakfast food you can imagine." Fred said as he turned to look at her.

"I really shouldn't stay. And besides, its after noon." She said awkwardly.

"Everyone knows breakfast food is better the later in the day it is." He spoke softly as he approached her. She felt her heart race. He was so tall and _exposed_ and his eyes were hungry.

"I've never had the desire to test that theory." She cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders in an attempt to seem taller. "Thank you for the offer but I must decline."

"That's a shame. How about something lunch-y then, Duckie?" He was in front of her now and his hands were playing with the fabric of her skirt. How he found her tempting in a cat shirt and a skirt a nun couldn't find fault with she would never know.

"I should go..." She said with very little conviction.

He hunched over, curving his body over hers, and spoke into her ear in a sweet, firm voice. "Stay for lunch."

She turned her head towards his and felt his lips brush against her cheek. She gave a small nod. He smiled and pressed a quick kiss into her mouth before pulling away. He smiled at her and touched a curl before he shooed her from the kitchen. She bit back a smile and went to the bathroom to freshen up. She was pleased to see her curls weren't beyond repair. They were frizzy and all over the place but if she ran her fingers through them a couple dozen times and twisted them into a bun they would look okay. She splashed her face with cool water in an attempt to ease the permanent blush she had recently obtained. She pressed her hand to her chest and tried to calm her heart. It was beating far too erratically.

She relieved herself and washed her hands before twisting her hair into a wild bun, trusting the texture of her hair to hold it in place. When she came back into the kitchen Fred and George were talking. She shifted uncomfortably. She didn't feel it right to interrupt them. She watched their interaction. They didn't seem to be saying much but Fred looked stiff and George looked smug. She could tell they didn't need words to communicate. Fred mumbled something and bit back a smile and George gave a boisterous laugh that made Hermione bite the inside of her cheek. There was something infectious about them.

Fred looked past his twin and smiled in a frisky manner. Hermione flushed and looked down as she bit her lip. God, a smile had her pressing her legs together. She really needed to get out of there before she dragged him back to his bedroom and did unspeakable things. She stepped into the kitchen and gave George a small nod and smile in greeting. George smiled at her in a friendly manner that reminded her that they were indeed Weasley's. Fred grabbed her by the hips and pulled her back into his chest. He rested his chin on her head as he wrapped his long arms around her body.

"Georgie boy has brought it to my attention that the only thing I know how to make outside of breakfast good is stew. Seeing as that would take too long, how would you feel about going out to lunch?" His chest rumbled against her back as he spoke. She looked wide eyed at George. He was giving her a shit eating grin. She would kick him in the shin later.

She couldn't think of a good reason not to. Sure, his brother was one of her best friends. Yes, it would be incredibly awkward if things went horribly wrong. But she was also hungry and his scent was wrapped around her and she didn't see anything wrong with a friendly lunch. In fact, it would give her the perfect opportunity to set things straight with him.

"I should change first." She said tipping her head back into his body so that she could see his face.

The smile he gave her reassured her that she had made the right decision. "Of course, Duckie." He moved quickly to press a lingering kiss to her mouth. When he pulled back she followed his mouth for a moment before realizing what she had done. She cleared her throat and pulled away.

"Right. Well then, I'll meet you downstairs in 20 minutes." She said before extracting herself from his arms and moving to her shoes at the door.

She didn't look back as she scurried from the room. She hurriedly pulled her keys from her pocket and unlocked the door. She pressed her back to the door when it closed. She sighed and closed her eyes. She found him incredibly alluring. That neighbor of hers was dangerous.

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Mione and Fred are going on a date! Teehee. Georgie boy knows his stuff and plots like a good Weasley twin. Hope you enjoyed. New chapter will be up soon!


	11. Chapter 11

In honor of Miss Emma Watson's Birthday, which has passed since I wrote this, how could I resist? Even though I went with black Hermione for this story, we must appreciate the actress who brought a beloved character to life and fights for equality! I do believe its time for a certain Ginger to charm the wits out of our favorite bookworm :)

Read. Rate. Review. Be jolly and enjoy orange juice that is just a little too sweet for 9am!

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Hermione looked in the mirror and rolled her eyes. It was clear what she was doing. She had purposely grabbed her rattiest outfit and cleaned her face of any makeup. Maybe this was overkill. She didn't need to go so far. He had already seen her naked. What did it matter if he saw her in her grungy clothes? He clearly wasn't concerned with what she wore because he was always tying to get her out of it. She sighed and stripped. She grabbed a soft pink dress. It was simple enough that she didn't look like she was trying but the gauzy fabric had a flattering cut. She twirled. It fell nicely at her knees and the pale fabric looked nice against her dark skin. She smoothed the skirt and fixed her bun. She was not going to put on makeup. She had no one to impress but herself and she wasn't interested in taking the time to do anything else. She shoved her feet into flats and huffed. She left her flat with a sense of pride.

When she saw Fred standing by the door in a tight grey shirt and a loose hoodie she felt a smile building. She squelched it. She would be friendly but she needed to make it clear that this thing between them, whatever it was, was over. He opened the car door for her and she resisted the urge to swoon. Ron did the same thing. Molly had raised them right. She knew every single Weasley had manners...even if they didn't always use them. She waited patiently while he rounded the car. His legs seemed too long for the car. She was grateful for the radio being on. She looked out the window as he drove, her palms facing up in her lap. She had no idea she had done it unconsciously until he laced a hand with hers. She looked down at their hands and sighed quietly to herself. She was going to ignore how right she felt with him if it was the last thing she did.

When they finally got to a small diner she felt like she was going to burst. She had barely gotten her seat belt undone by the time he had opened her door. He helped her out and she took her hand from his quickly. She thought she heard him chuckle but she couldn't be sure so she said nothing. He opened the door for her and she mumbled a soft thank you. She had been raised right too. She was not ungrateful though she wished he would stop being so damn charming. They were sat in a small leather booth and greeted by a chipper older woman who rushed off to fetch their drinks. Hermione stared intently at the menu. She was famished. She considered ordering a a salad and immediately changed her mind. She was hungry and she didn't want the damn salad. She ordered a burger and chips and a milkshake. Fred ordered some sort of melt.

While they waited Fred asked questions. Hermione was not prepared. The food came and in between bites he asked about her aspirations and her goals. He inquired about her childhood and what it had been like at school for her. He asked about her cat and he asked about her classes. She answered hesitantly. She wasn't sure she wanted him to know those things. When he asked about her biggest fear, she had a mouthful of burger. She had never chewed so slow in her life. She swallowed.

"I'd rather not answer." She said softly.

"I'll tell you mine." He offered. She eyed him and nodded. "I'm terrified of not amounting to anything. I don't want to die and leave nothing behind. I want to have some sort of legacy. Growing up in a family as big as ours you have to carve out a place for yourself. Georgie and I found our place. But outside of school pranks and cleverness sort of lose their importance. The real world... it's kind of a shit hole for people like me." He shrugged. "That's why I'm majoring in business. George and I are going to open out own shop soon. It's a sort of light at the end of the tunnel. Now, I've told you mine. Go ahead, Duckie."

She looked at her plate and answered. "I don't want to be alone. I don't want to get so swept up in my own little world that when I look around I have no one around. I had a pretty lonely childhood until I met Ron and Harry. I don't want to lose the people who saved me." She cleared her throat and licked her lips.

"I'd say that's a pretty understandable fear." He said firmly.

She had never told anyone that. She had made it clear to the people close to her that she valued her alone time but really there was an underlying fear that if she got too close the loss would be too much. She couldn't bring herself to look at him just yet. She figured now was the perfect time to bring up their, for lack of a better term, relationship. She took a deep breath and looked at him with the sternest face she could muster.

"Fred, we really need to talk."

"Have we not been talking? I was almost sure that was what we were doing." He said dramatically.

"You know what I mean." She said with cool determination. "We can't keep doing..."

"Each other?" He supplied.

"I was going to say what we've been doing. It's just not wise. There won't be anymore kissing or naps or cuddling. We can't keep doing this; it isn't a good idea. Why are you smiling? Let go of my hand." She glared at his hand holding hers on the table.

"I just think it's cute how adamant you are about what a terrible idea this is when you haven't even given it a chance."

"I don't need to stick my hand in a blender either to know it's' a bad idea." She quipped with a glare.

"You're comparing dating me to sticking your hand in a blender." He said it with a look of pure delight on his face. Hermione flushed. It wasn't a flattering analogy but it had served its purpose. "I think you should date me. I'd be good for you."

Hermione scoffed and rolled her eyes. "You're so full of yourself. We are so different. We'd kill each other and it would be impossibly awkward to be around your family once we broke up."

"What makes you think we'd break up?"

"What makes you think we wouldn't?" She said with a lack of seriousness that surprised her. This was more banter than it was a conversation. It was easy and pleasant.

"Mostly the fact that I'm pretty damn taken with you and we fuck like champs together." He gave her a brilliant smile.

She smacked his arm and shook her head. "Don't say things like that in public."

"See? You would be doing the world a favor by taking me on. Who is else is going to reform me?" He laid the puppy eyes on her and she glowered.

"That's not a good enough reason." She didn't sound confident.

"Okay, go out with me because you don't want to be alone and I can't seem to let you be." His voice was strong and his hand clenched hers. When she looked into his eyes every argument and fear she had vanished. She didn't want to say no. She didn't want to tell him to stuff it or that she knew better. Because the idea of going home and closing the door and pretending none of this had happened, pretending that he hand't worked his way into her heart in such a short amount of time, made her feel more alone than she had ever been. So, she sighed and rested her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand.

"I suppose I might as well. If only to save the world."

The smile he gave her was absolutely her new favorite thing in the world and worth any heartbreak or tragedy to come.

So, she was going to date her neighbor. There was no way this could go wrong.

* * *

I pumped this shit out at 3am on no sleep while editing essays so honestly... I don't have anything to say. Let me know what you think in the reviews! Thanks.


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